Create Your Own Degree

What is a Bachelor of General Studies? It’s an online degree that you can customize.At the University of Nebraska at Kearney eCampus, one bachelor’s program in particular strikes up a lot of conversation: the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS). This “create your own degree” is an interdisciplinary program that helps you complete a unique and useful degree in the most efficient timeframe.

The BGS promotes well-rounded study in a range of disciplines, or “distribution areas,” to develop your critical thinking and fundamental understanding of human nature, society and values. In this program, you will complete all UNK General Studies requirements as well as one of the options below.

Option 1: Choose three out of the following four possible distribution areas (15 credit hours in each area):

• Fine Arts: Art History, Music
• Humanities: English, Journalism, Speech
• Social Science: Psychology, History, Sociology
• Professional Studies: Management, Marketing, Accounting, Family Studies and Interior Design, Physical Education, Social Work

Option 2: Choose to specialize in one distribution area from the above list (30 credit hours), with one complementing distribution area (15 credit hours).

What You Gain With This Degree

Fast track to graduation: The BGS program is highly compatible with transfer credits, allowing you to earn your degree sooner and gain a competitive edge against other graduates in the field. The program helps you use what you have to build the degree.

Customized curriculum: While other online degree programs have a strict list of courses you must take to graduate, the BGS allows you to modify the program to suit your individual interests and professional needs, with guidance from an academic advisor at UNK. You can choose your distribution areas as well as the courses you take within those areas.

Guidance and support: The flexibility in this program makes it crucial to work with an academic advisor, as it is important to complete a BGS evaluation. Advisors will check for general studies duplication courses, upper level course completion, GPA within the distribution and general studies and distribution area courses completed at UNK. This evaluation will help ensure that you are on the fastest track possible for graduation.

Diverse career options: With this degree, you are open to pursue many career fields, including: business, finance, family studies, history, interior design, multimedia, psychology and social work. Many students currently in the program are already in the workforce and have returned to college to complete their degree to pursue a pay increase or higher position within their company. 

If you have transfer credits and have been considering a return to school, the Bachelor of General Studies may be the best option. To learn more, request information about this degree, explore all our online programs, or contact us at UNK eCampus about any questions you have: 1-800-865-6388 or ecampus@unk.edu.